heartrending
[hahrt-ren-ding]
adjective
causing or expressing intense grief, anguish, or distress.
Origin of heartrending
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for heartrending
distressing, excruciating, sad, heartbreaking, touching, tragic, agonizing, harrowing, doleful, moving, piteous, pitifulExamples from the Web for heartrending
Contemporary Examples of heartrending
Clearly, the voters were rewarding his heartrending performance of “ I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
Historical Examples of heartrending
The case of Nick, although sore enough in its way, was not so heartrending as that of Kate.
RidgewayScian Dubh
I rolled about on the ground, uttering the most heartrending cries.
My Double LifeSarah Bernhardt
The scenes on the decks of the sinking liner were heartrending.
Now and again he let himself be caught by the heartrending accents of his wife.
Therese RaquinEmile Zola
The next morning there came a heartrending letter from Aunt Ju.
Is He Popenjoy?Anthony Trollope